and there is a traveler in ALL of us…

FAQ

I’m constantly asked questions by the locals in places I’m visiting as well as from old friends I haven’t had contact in some time via Facebook or from inquiries through other friends. Interesting enough, usually they are the same few questions over and over again.

On this page I will try to answer those questions as clearly and as honestly as possible. Please feel free to ask about anything you are curious about that I might have missed. I will answer them as soon as I can, internet availability permitting.

How many days did it take you to get “here”?

I’m not trying to rush nor am I on a time schedule. I left San Antonio, TX July 5, 2013 on what was originally a 6 month motorcycle trip to Colombia, with the possibility of making it to Argentina. After the 6 months came and went I realized that I can extend the journey and make it a whole year.

Now after over a year, I really see the possibility of turning this into a round the world trip. As of today I am in the country of Peru, a long way from Argentina.

Am I sure I will keep going for a Round the World trip? Well only time will tell, so keep stopping by here and we will both find out.

How fast can your bike go?

The bike is a Kawasaki KLR 650, it’s an enduro, an all-terrain bike, not a crouch rocket so it’s not very fast at all.

Think of it as a two wheel Jeep, not fast or pretty but practically indestructible and can handle just about any road.

It’s very rugged and build based on simple engineering therefore, easy to repair when something if ever, happens to break.

But to answer the question, the top speed would be about 95 MPH fully loaded. My average speed on the open road is about 65 MPH; I like to keep it safe.

How do you support yourself without working for so long?

I’m not retired by any means. I work, just differently then what most people consider working as in having a regular job. Among many mistakes that I have made thorough my life, I have also made some smart decisions that have allowed me to make this journey a reality.

I live off rental property and have eliminated 90% of recurring monthly liabilities including renting my own house and participate in the management via phone (VOIP of course) and via internet.

How much does it cost to travel like you do?

I’m actually spending less now than I did during the first few months of my travels. And a whole lot less when I did the “tourist” trips a few years back. Like anything else, as you gain experience you learn more efficient ways of accomplishing the same things.

Considering that on this trip I have only been to Latin America so far, it’s quite inexpensive and having my own transportation really helps. I figured if I was at home, paying the mortgage and utilities, cooking all my meals and the only entertainment I do was watching movies on Netflix, I would actually be spending considerably more money then what I am spending right now, on the average.

I travel from town to town, country to country, eat out 90% of the time and enjoy most attractions available in each place I go. My girlfriend has traveled with me for the last 10 months and my budget is $2,000.00 per month. That would include lodging, food, gas, medical insurance, motorcycle insurance, motorcycle maintenance/repairs, passport/visas entry and exit fees, all entertainment costs, other transportation costs, findmespot.com fees, internet fees when needed, cell phone, personal items and all other misc. costs related to my travels.

So, I am grateful to be able to live well below my means all while being even more grateful to live well. By trial and error and as I meet and learn from other experienced travelers I cannot help but to learn to travel for less as time goes by.

Where do you stay?

I mostly stay at Hostels where I can network with other travelers and share where the best places to visit are. I occasionally use couch surfing but mainly when I’m about to enter a new country where I have no contacts or was unable to make a contact via a reference prior to my departure from the current country.

I have camped and carry all the necessary camping gear to do so. It has been well planned in the few occasions that I have done it. But on one occasion I was forced to set up camp at a soccer field since there was no lodging available in the town I found myself as the night set in, not very safe to drive in the winding roads ahead.

Improvised camping is very common among backpackers as well as those traveling by bicycle.

Please feel free to ask me any questions regarding my travels. And better yet, if you have any ideas or suggestions that you want to share please leave your comments here. Thank you very much for stopping by.

14 comments on “FAQ”

Hello Jeremy and thanks for stopping by. My best recommendation would be to sign up for Wealthy Affiliates. It’s basically an Affiliate Marketing University where all students help each other and It’s free to join. Give it a try, you have nothing to lose. Here’s the link: http://www.wealthyaffiliate.com?a_aid=011d3c94 Thanks again and lot’s of success…always!

I have stayed in a few hostels, mostly in Europe. I loved them but you have to be careful. My favorite to find a boutique hostels because they are in vintage houses with histories! I hope you are able to find some as well 🙂

Hello Renee, thanks for stopping by. With Hostals just like any place else, you have to use common sense. I have found some great ones and some not so great ones. When I arrive at a new location I try to arrive early in the day so that I have time to make choices. Thanks again for stopping by and visit often for updates on great places I find along the way…best wishes!

Interesting lifestyle, that’s for sure. I’m sure you are finding amazing sights and cultural differences as you travel. Makes me a bit jealous, but not sure I am adventurous enough to do it the way you are.

Hello Allyn and that you for your comment. Different strokes for different folks. There are many people who travel and all have their own way so to speak. Some travelers travel in luxury private yachts and others ride a bicycle and camp 99% of the time. All depends on taste and budget. I’m somewhere in between and enjoy every bit of it. Stay tunes, I might have some interviews from other travelers and that might spark some interest and might help you find your way. Best wishes Allyn and thanx again!

Hi Greg,
Great website. I like the content and as I am also very interested in travelling I drop this comment. I plan to do a trip to South America this year with my girlfriend. We want to fly to Buenos Aires and do some sightseeing. Afterwards, we want to fly to the Iguazu falls but we don’t know how long we should stay there and last but not least we want to finish our trip in Rio at the beaches. It would be great if you could give me some tips to make this a cool trip. We plan to do it in November 2015 and we start in Austria.
Thanks
Manuel